Fan in coma after violence at Argentine soccer match

Reuters Staff

2 Min Read

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - An Argentine soccer fan was in a coma and two men arrested for attempted murder after a scuffle among supporters in the derby between Belgrano and Talleres in Cordoba, local media reported on Sunday.

The fan, identified by Belgrano as Emanuel Balbo, was beaten by fellow supporters in the crowd of 57,000 and forced down the terraces where he tried to avoid more violence by vaulting a barrier, his father told Cordoba’s Cadena 3 radio station.

Video footage showed Balbo falling over one tier of the stand and then lying prostrate on a concrete staircase below.

Local media reported he was in a serious condition.

Another fan named Diego Frydman was also hurt, home club Belgrano said.

“Here at Belgrano we are praying that Emanuel Balbo and Diego Frydman recover,” the club said in a statement.

Saturday’s violence is the latest in a long string of incidents at Argentine grounds.

In recent years away fans have been banned from some matches and games postponed but the measures have failed to curb the violence.

The game finished 1-1 to leave Belgrano second bottom of the 30-team Primera Division.